Zealandia's ancient origins reshape Earth's history
Some researchers consider Zealandia the eighth continent on Earth. Recent studies reveal that it is over a billion years old.
Scientists have discovered that Zealandia, regarded by some as the eighth continent, is significantly older than formerly believed. Earlier research by the Geological Society of America indicated that this landmass is over a billion years old, making it one of the oldest on our planet.
Zealandia: The smallest continent
Zealandia, 94% of which lies beneath the Pacific Ocean, covers an area of approximately 4.9 million square kilometres. It is the smallest continent, just trailing Australia, with an area of about 7.7 million square kilometres. New Zealand is the portion of Zealandia that emerges from the ocean.
Previously, it was believed that Zealandia was about 500 million years old. However, research involving the collection of 169 samples from the South Island and Stewart Island has shown that this land is over a billion years old. This discovery alters our understanding of Earth's geological history.
Characteristic features of Zealandia
Zealandia possesses all the required characteristics to be recognised as a separate continent. It is distinctly isolated from Australia and has a relatively large area. It is characterised by elevated bathymetry compared to the surrounding oceanic crust and features varied, silica-rich rocks.
Recognising Zealandia as the eighth continent would represent an important advancement in geological research and could influence future analyses concerning the structure of our planet. Although the proposal that there are not seven but eight continents on our planet has been discussed for several years, no scientific consensus has yet been achieved on this matter.
